19TH CENTURY

The Maison A l'Escalier de Cristal was established in 1802 by the widow Mme. Disarnaud, née Marie-Jeanne-Rosalie Charpentier. She exhibited, to great acclaim, at the 1819 Exposition des Produits de l'Industrie. The business with a shop and workshop was based in the Palais Royal and supplied clocks, vases, lamps and other objets d'art to ruling families in Europe, and were appointed Fournisseur breveté du Roi in 1819, as well as the Duc de Berry and the Garde-meuble de la Couronne. They dealt in and carried an extensive stock of porcelain, some of which they mounted, very much in the tradition of the marchand merciers of the 18th century, from whom they inherited their specialist profession. In 1828 the business was led by a Monsieur Boin after Mme Disarnaud died aged 66. They later moved to premises at 162 & 163 Palais Royal. A l'Escalier de Cristal succeeded in producing objects to new designs, mainly due to Emile-Auguste Reiber (d. 1893), Christophle's head designer who, inspired by the arts of Japan, imitated their production techniques and adapted designs to produce stunning items for the 'hungry' European market.